Improvement in game-cards



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

CYRUS W. SALADEE, OF PADUOAH, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN GAM E-CARDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 4 1,587, dated February 9, 1c64.

10 all whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, OYEUs W. SALADEE, of Paducah, McCracken county, in the State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Playing-Cards; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference thereon marked.

My invention consists in combining a number or letter with an emblem-such as a heart,77 spadef club,77 or diamondso that upon seeing the emblem, which may be in a corner, the denomination of the card 1s at once understood.

It also consists in placing the device for designating the card in the corner, or at the side of the card, so as to leave more room in the hands of the player, and more space upon the card for embellishment.

Figurel represents an ordinary spot-card, (the six of diamonds,) with the emblems A 'printed upon it in the usual manner, butin addition having a iigure 6 7 printed or engrayed upon each emblem, so that when a hand77 of cards is displayed fanfashion in the hand it will be only necessary to exposea small portion of each card, enough to see one of the gured emblems, in order for the player to read his hand, thus diminishing the chances of exposing ones hand to an adversary.

Fig. 2 represents the eight of hearts, and is another mode of using my invention. This consists in printing one or more iigured or lettered emblems in a corner or side of the card. This accomplishes the same result that the other mode does, and in addition affords more space upon the card for the purpose of embellishment. The embellishments used may consist of portraits of prominent individuals, of comicor love scenes, of proverbs, or other designs, to suit the tastepof the manufacturer.

Fig. 3 represents the king of hearts, and is similar to the spot-cards, except that instead of a number upon the emblem I use the letter K as an abbreviation for king77 In like manner the other face cards and the ace may be designated by printing upon the appropriate emblem of hearts, spades, clubs, and diamonds the letters Q for queen, J for jack/7 and A for ace.

Fig. 4 represents the four of diamonds.7 In this mode the iigured or lettered emblems are disposed in a single line upon one side of the card, (or, if preferred, upon both sides) the emblems all being of such a size as to admit of ten emblems for the ten being printed in a single line. By this device of printing a narrow line or lines of small emblems in the margin I obtain a very large portion of the card face for embellishment and great security against liability to expose the hand in playing.

Fig. 5 represents the five of hearts. This consists in printing a miniature card (about one-sixth-the surface of the whole card) in the upper left-hand corner of the card, or in any other preferred position, as at the side or in the center. This miniature card B is exactly similar to the playing-cards, both spot and face cards, now most generally used.

By this device, in addition to the advantages of security in playing and space forembellishment, I have the further advantage that there is nothing new for the player to learn, and avoid the difficulty that has heretofore encountered those who have endeavored to introduce revolutionary designs for playingcards.

Having thus fully described my invention, whatl claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of a number or letter with an emblem for the designation of the various denominations of playingcards, substantially as herein specified.

2. Placing the device for designating the card in a corner or margin of the card, for the purposes herein specified.

OYRUS W. SALADEE.

Vitnesses:

CHAs. OLDEN, JOHN MURRAY. 

